


Guiding star

by Naminewitch



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Nyx Lives, Romance, Shield!Stella, stella nox fleuret as youngest nox fleuret
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-03-11 01:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13513794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naminewitch/pseuds/Naminewitch
Summary: Despite the use of the ring, Nyx survived. How will this change the events and the relationship between him and Luna, if she must marry Noctis, but slowly falls in love with his  glaive, and the prince himself is in love with Stella and is torn between the two sisters?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Co-written with Tirailleur.
> 
> This fic started when Tirailleur and I discussed an idea: What if Nyx survived? And thus, this fic was born. Hope you like it.

 

The silence, not usual for this place, was broken only by the singing of birds, and by the voices of animals that came to enjoy the flesh of those who had tried to defend their right to life yesterday. Light streams of wind soared into the air, ash and dust, spinning them into curious curls, and again gave them to the will of gravity, only gently tearing their fall with cautious blows. On the ruins, along with the scavengers and marauders were already beginnings to search for easy prey. A variety of glaive’s badges, MT’s blades, and simply scrap metal was easy enough to sell on the local black market, so for some, yesterday's catastrophe turned into something positive - easy profit, albeit thanks to someone else's grief. But unlike the others, these people knew how to drop their conscience far away.

It was hard to breathe. The first deep sigh rolled through the lungs, like sandpaper, making him cough spasmodically. His eyes desperately didn’t want to focus on the light, but as soon as they did, he saw above himself a strange man in a respirator and goggles. This person helped him get out of the rubble, with sharp jerk at the hand, putting the guy if not on his feet, then at least on his knees.

The sun hit his eyes, the ash that yesterday had been in the air, already settled on remnants of buildings and   cars.

“How are you? Alive?” a person of indefinite sex said, whose voice was distorted by the respirator and baggy clothes also didn’t help to understand, who was standing in front of him, a man or woman. To himself, Nyx noted that this is one of the marauders. These are always like vultures; they followed MT and collected any carrion that remained after them. Not that he despised them, everyone in this difficult situation survived, as best as they could.

“Yes…” staggering, he rose on his feet.

It wasn’t so hard to breathe now, and his brain slowly began to work, immediately filling with thoughts and questions. But the buzzing head didn’t let him focus.

Princess… Lucis… the ring… the Ring…

“Why I’m alive?” Nyx said quietly, looking at his burned hands.  The puzzle in his head didn’t want to add up, but he was already collecting quite big pieces from the overall picture, thanks to which, it would be possible to begin to orientate at least a little bit, in what was happening.

"Are you asking me?" Marauder, who had already found someone's abandoned greatcoat already happily rummaged in it, in search of something forgotten. He didn’t want to focus on Nyx, but instead was absorbed in careful cutting off, the epaulettes and unfastening the badge.  “I don’t know, probably, you were crushed and Niffs thought that you were dead. Or just didn’t notice. Today, such stories are common among the survivors.”

“No, I' m not talking about this…”glaive realized that his rescuer  is clearly not someone who should know about his inner demons, and began to rummage in the pocket of his torn Kingsglaive uniform in search of at least an elementary handkerchief that would allow him to breathe here.

“Then I don’t know… By the way, there’s my backpack. Take a respirator or you can get pulmonary edema.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“Something like that. Graduated a week ago. And then, this happened. Thank the Six, I managed to get a diploma!” judging by the words, it was a guy, Nyx noted to himself. The newly graduated doctor gazed joyfully at the battered shoulder straps and quickly hid them in the breast pocket of his jacket. "If anything hurts, say it, I'll see. After all, I gave an oath!”

Still, why he was alive? This question bothered him.  But also made him remember new memories.

Bright light, weak glow and he alone among the huge figures feels like an insect. They are discussing his fate with some kind of disdain, as if they see - insolent people asking for strength, every twenty or thirty times a day. And after a brief wrangling, a verdict was passed - he gets strength, in exchange for his life. A fleeting regret, maybe even some envy of the girl he rescued. But a negative thought is forgotten  without regret, giving strength to _Let her meet a new day_ , and then, the second thought _For the Two of Us_ follows the first.  Funny ... He didn’t even thought about saving Lucis at this moment. And even when he asked her to save Libertus, saying that the future is in her hands, didn’t even mean the kingdom. It's funny ... How funny ... Only one conversation at the aquarium, a few hours spent with her in the occupied city, and he already felt something for her?  Very funny ... Although, maybe just he hit the head, but then why does his heart bleed?

“Heeey,” in the marauder’s hands, from the overcoat, there was only an indented piece of cloth, on which was the last button, which the guy was only planning   to cut off. "Maybe I'll examine you after all?"

"No, thanks for digging me up," Nyx grinned and walked briskly towards the remnants of the buildings, which were only yesterday had been majestic skyscrapers that greeted honorary guests at the entrance to the city and tourists.

“Well, it’s your choice, my business to offer!" the marauder called after him.

 Nyx began to think about the plan. He needed to find new clothes, food, a car and go to Altissia to protect Luna and Stella, as King Regis asked, before he died from General Glauca’s sword.

* * *

 

Stella was sitting in the café at Hammerhead outpost. She got at least some opportunity to rest after all that had happened. Insomnia, failed peace treaty, Niffs ... Yes, just a perfect way how to spend a Saturday night! She wondered how many people have safely got out, and where to look for Noctis and his retinue?

She didn’t know. And she also didn’t know what to do next.

The radio broadcasted about the deaths of Luna and Noctis, more and more with its monotonous pace, making it on the nerves.  The visitors of the cafe, tragically echoing it”both the Prince and the Oracle were killed on the same day, right before the wedding. What a loss! "

The girl that sat at nearby table almost burst into tears from what she had heard, and the blonde began to tap her fingers on the table with a strange, only known to her rhythm.

"You will not die so easily ..." she said quietly to herself. "You just do not know how to die, Noctis. I do not believe in your death.”

“Miss, is the table free?”

Wonderful. Now, some homeless person is flirting with her.

“I’m tired explaining that… Nyx!?”

“Surprised to see me?”  Nyx winked at her, but his rumpled look didn’t give his smile a heroic tinge, rather, in Stella's mind, he was still a polygamous ‘homeless man.’ "I'm as shocked as you are that I'm alive."

“Did you have any reasons not to survive?” blonde quirked an eyebrow.  “Okay, tell your entertaining stories later. I would like get some money now ..." Stella glanced at the counter, behind which, the cashier counted the money. It seemed that he was in charge of hunting here.

"How did you get out?"

"Got out with Marshal." Stella looked at her drink again. "Before the old wall rose."

"Lucky  you. I was throwed into the centre of events ..." Nyx desperately tried to provoke the interest of his companion to his strange story, but Stella wasn’t interested   and wasn’t in a hurry to get out of her thoughts. "Did something happen to you?"  He decided to be the first to take the initiative and listen to Princess’ story.

 

"My sister," Stella answered quietly. "Luna, Lady Lunafreya. I don’t believe the radio, but it doesn’t matter. We all lost someone there.”

Nyx clenched his hand. He also heard what the radio was broadcasting, and didn’t believe it for a second.  No doubt, it’s one of Empire’s tricks. Noctis and Luna symbolize hope for the people of Eos, and if they perish, the world will fall into darkness and chaos.

“You're right. We all lost someone there. But I'm sure Luna and Prince Noctis are alive.”

 

“Luna and Noctis are too stubborn to die so easily.”

 

“What are you planning to do now?” Nyx asked.

 

 “I don’t know. First we need to get money,” Stella at the cash register. “And try to meet with Noctis and his friends. We can’t catch up with Luna.”

 

He didn’t like Stella's last statement. She was right.  The Oracle had several hours of headstart, if not more, and they wouldn’t catch up with her, even if they were in a hurry.

 

Damn. This is bad.

 

But if they couldn’t catch up with Luna, then, at least, he will protect her younger sister and the young king.


	2. Chapter 2

About an hour later Nyx changed into new clothes and didn’t look like a ‘polygamic homeless man’ anymore. He took the hunt from the cashier and was preparing to leave, but a problem appeared.

 

“Wait, a minute, I didn't understand something.  What do you mean by ’you can count on me?’ ” the blonde suddenly appeared behind Nyx’s back, whom was still being held by cashier, who was using his charisma on the glaive.

 

“Well, you are a princess, I’m a glaive. I can’t allow you risk your own nobility!” Nyx gritted out, sighing in relief when he saw the cashier found someone else to serve.

 

“Rephrase,” Stella crossed her arms in displeasure.

 

“Well, you don’t want to be smeared in dirt, do you?” Nyx tried to start from afar and shoo Stella away quietly, just by pressing on her feelings of beauty and aesthetic. “And here, is cable TV, fashion magazines…”

 

“You’re hinting that I can’t protect myself?” the blonde wearily closed her eyes, and began to massage the temples, trying to maintain inner peace and harmony.”With all due respect, glaive," Stella placed a special emphasis on the word ‘glaive’.  ” banal  Reapertails will kick your butt without any problem right now. And who did you take?” she looked at the poster, which Nyx desperately pressed to him, and even managed to snatch it from his hands and began to study it. “Sabertusks? Seriously?  Alone?  Where will you order me to look for you if something happens?”

 

“Stella, I got out your sister from Insomnia, where there was slaughter worse than five sabertusks,” Nyx took the poster from the princess, and folded it four times; he hid it in his breast pocket. “So, I’m gonna provide you with money and security as well.”

 

“Look, the alpha is here,” Stella muttered quietly to herself.

 

“What did you say?”

 

“Nothing. Our family is lucky to meet such defender!”

 

"One thing I can say, is that Luna was nicer,” with these words, Nyx hurried to leave the cafe, leaving Stella alone with the cashier, who brought her some strange pink cake.

"Your young man said that he would pay for it when   he returns," the man said, finishing the order with a cup of coffee.

 

"I’m sure, he'll call afterwards, asking for help," Stella said wearily, after which she smiled sweetly at the man and went with a tray at the nearest table.

 

And what kind of stereotype about blondes is that? Why she should only worry about cable TV, fashion magazines and PINK cakes?! Six ... She hoped her sister was more lucky with companions than her.

 

* * *

 

 

"Nyx, what a pleasant surprise, "Stella said sweetly, instead of the greeting when she answered the phone, squinting out the window, hoping to see the cornered self-proclaimed hero.  "Have you found a new magazine for me?"

"Very funny, Stella. I have more serious problems here than your pop idols...”

“Have you caught a steppe manicure master? Since, my nails, you   know, with all this running around are in bad condition,” entering the role, she even began to look at her nails and for some reason imagining them pink.

 

“Your brother is here and interrupting my hunt; do tell me, is he thirsting for your touching family reunion?” Nyx interrupted her. Stella moved her eyes to the window and w began to examine the exterior, where on the horizon, appeared Imperial ship.

Nyx can’t fight with Ravus alone. He still didn’t rest properly after the fall of Insomnia, and Ravus can call MT   for help and then the glaive is done.

And he said he will do everything alone. Looks like she has to save his heroic butt.

 

“Wait, I’ll be here,” Stella said, and ended the call, cutting off Nyx’s protests.

 

Having told the cashier that she would be back soon, Stella left the cafe.

 

* * *

 

Nyx cursed under his breath, putting the phone back in his pocket. Stella disconnected, saying that she was coming. And that's after he told her to sit in a cafe.

Stubborn.  Just like Luna. It seems stubbornness is a Nox Fleurets’ family trait. It would be cute, if he didn’t run into Ravus, who, unfortunately, was from their dynasty,  who  was not looking for easy ways and even after what the Ring of the Lucii did him, for some reason he flew to the outpost. Probably take Stella with him, since he couldn’t convince Luna go with him.

"Sit quietly and don’t stick your head out, I'll talk to him," to his relief, Nyx heard Stella's voice above him, who joined  his fascinating shadowing of Ravus' coming from the Imperial ship along with the couple of MT. "What’s  wrong with his hand? Who did it?”

"He wore the Ring of Lucii," Nyx said quietly.

“Seriously?! “Stella looked at Nyx with surprise.

" You were going to talk to him," Nyx reminded her. At Stella’s look, clearly saying what forty minutes ago, he didn’t want to take her to a banal hunt, and now sends her to new High Commander, and that probably something is wrong here, Nyx just shrugged and pointed with his eyes at    Ravus, who  was approaching their hiding place. "You're his sister, what will he do to you?"

 

“Oh, I wish I had your optimism,” Stella summoned the rapier and rose to the full height, putting a brave smile on her face and moved towards her brother.

 

“Stella, sister, I finally found you,” to Stella’s surprise, Ravus   didn’t immediately threaten, but met her with a rare smile. ”Forgive me, I have not found Lunafreya yet, after the fall of Insomnia, a complete chaos is taking place.”

 

"Are you asking me to return to Gralea with you?”Stella quietly glanced at Nyx’s hiding place, trying to make sure that he is safe and doesn’t plan to fight Ravus.

 

"It's safe there, I do not want to endanger you."

 

"No," the youngest Nox Fleuret shook her head. "I will not go to Gralea with you."

 

"Be more sensible, I implore you," Ravus said wearily, secretly hoping that at least Stella would turn off the rebel mode. But her determined posture spoke of the opposite. He didn’t want to fight his sister and inadvertently hurt her. "What are you trying to achieve? They are your enemies!”

 

"Ravus, forgive me, but our only enemies are those whose uniform you wear right now. Believe me, I'm safer here than next to you,  "she said, raising her head stubbornly, and folding her arms across her chest.  "No, I'm not going back to that prison!"

 

“This ‘prison’ is our home!”

 

“Yeah, and you're there, as a warden, “Stella continued to bend her line.  "No, brother, I don’t need you ‘saving me’. I can look after myself!”

 

"You are stupid and stubborn, like Lunafreya!"

 

"This is familial, brother," the blonde smirked.

 

Huh, she has a sharp tongue. You can’t even say that she is the sister of such melancholic High Commander, and quiet and silent Oracle. Whether it was good or bad, glaive didn’t know, he simply silently prayed to the gods that her brother’s fury would remain only in words.

 

"You called me stupid?!"

 

“Even better, you called me stupid, and I said that this is familial!”

"Gods, survive here as you wish, then you'll crawl into the Gralea on your knees to pray for refuge, heroine!"  he uttered the last word with a special frenzy, and quickly calling MT back, he went to the ship.

 

"New record, usually I spend more time on it,” she looked at the hiding place, behind which Nyx was still sitting. “Get out, I sent him away.”

 

" You  have got sharp  tongue," Nyx said, getting out of  the hiding place. Meanwhile, the Imperial ship soared into the air and soon disappeared from the view. "But thanks for helping me. I don’t think I could have fought them alone.”

 

"You're welcome," Stella said, dismissing the rapier that had disappeared into the golden sparks.

 

"Maybe... we continue the hunt together?" Nyx suggested.  "We'll   finish it faster that way."

 

At this moment, Stella wanted to tease the glaive about the fact that almost an hour ago he assured her that he could do it himself and provide her with money and protection, but restrained herself and simply nodded.

Together, they immediately finished five Reapertails. Nyx noted to himself how the youngest Nox Fleuret used her rapier and admitted that she fought well.

Soon the hunt was over and, taking the sabertusks’ claws as evidence, they returned to the cafe where they gave the cashier fangs and received a reward of five thousand gil. Then they paid for everything they ordered, and, having gathered their things, left the outpost and Hammerhead.

 

* * *

 

Noctis stood by the cliff and looked with shocked eyes at what was left of Insomnia, their home. Just now, a voice from the radio reported that King Regis, Lady Lunafreya and her sister Stella, who had arrived in the capital for the marriage of the Oracle and Prince, and the ceremony of signing of the peace treaty between Niflheim and Lucis, had died.

 

" Nox Fleuret sisters are dead?"  Noctis said quietly, falling to his knees, still looking at the ruined capital with the same glassy gaze.

 

"Noct," Ignis put his hand on his shoulder, and the latter only looked at him with a withdrawn look, as if demanding an answer from him, to confirm   was that the truth what he had just heard.

 

"Stella, Luna, did they kill them?"

 

"Noct, don’t lose your head," Gladio appeared behind Ignis.

 

“Gladio, they are dead and you tell me not lose my head?!”

 

"Noct, we need to leave, it's dangerous," Ignis continued, seeing that the prince began to lose his temper.

 

The boys, silently, returned to the car, but still didn’t hurry to leave the roadblock on the bridge to the capital.

" What are we going to do now?"  Prompto asked uncertainly, looking at his friends.

 

"I do not know," Ignis answered softly, still keeping his eyes on the ruined city. "But we cannot sit still."

 

At this moment, the prince’s phone rang.

 

“ Yes?” Noctis said in an emotionless voice, answering the phone.

 

"You are alive, Prince Noctis," Marshal's voice came from the other end. Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis tensed and listened.

 

 “Cor? What happened? Why did the peace treaty fell?” Noctis asked, bombing Immortal with questions.

 

"Meet me at the Hammerhead," the man said, ignoring the questions, and disconnected before Noctis could stop him.

 

"Damn," the prince cursed, irritated and put the smartphone in his pants’ pocket.

 

"What did the Marshal say?" Ignis asked.

 

"We're going back to the outpost," Noctis said. "Cor will meet with us at Hammerhead."

 

"Then let's go," said Gladio. "Cor will tell us what happened."

 

Noctis, Ignis and Prompto nodded in agreement, and then they got into the car, guys went to meet with Cor.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 “When he learns to inform about his actions?” Noctis looked irritatedly at the phone, on the screen of which the SMS was flaunting: _I'm waiting for you at the tombs_.  It came only five minutes ago, when the company with remarkable enthusiasm looked at the faces of people who arrived to have a bite at the famous outpost.

 

"That's why he is the Marshall, his actions are unpredictable and spontaneous ..." Ignis said reasonably, looking into his cup of Ebony, as if that thick gut was telling him what to answer the prince.

 

"For his enemies, his actions must be unpredictable and spontaneous, not for us," Gladiolus reached for his hamburger and bit off a piece of it with some malice, “Well, we'll come for him there, and he already sends SMS from Galdin. No, I'm for taking a break. Moreover, our Marshal is elusive…”

 

"That's true! Immortal, elusive Cor!” Prompto reached for Gladiolus' potato, but noticing the stare the Shield was giving him, pulled a stupid smile on his face and quickly pulled his hand away. "But seriously, what are we going to do now?"

 

"Gladio offered rest," Ignis continued, looking at how his friends consumed unhealthy food, and already imagining how they will demand him something to cook tonight. "I'm for meeting with Cor."

 

“Maybe we take an alternative?”  Noctis picked up a glass of cola in front of his face, and shook it a bit. "Let's take a hunt here, and then rent a caravan for the night?"

 

 “Why so difficult?”Prompto protested.

 

“Suggest we pay for gas with your pretty face?”

                                       

"Gods, what an ambiguous joke, Gladio," Ignis said, wearily.”  Okay, I'll go and discuss what options we have...” advisor   quickly left the table and went to the windows, where he was greeted by a seller.

 

"How can I help you?"

 

“My friends and I want to take a hunt ...

 

Although Ignis was at fair distance from their table, his words came to Noctis and merged with his own thoughts. The news about the Nox Fleuret sisters’ death bothered him. Did they find their bodies, buried them properly? Judging by the fact, that people carried flowers to memorial dedicated to sisters that was near monument to goddess Eos, apparently not.

 

"I took the hunt, only the evening one was left,"  Ignis returned, holding two posters in his hands. "We're not in a hurry anyway, and we'll need money, they pay more for daemons."

 

"The blue giant?" Prompto snatched the first poster from advisor’s hands. "Can we do it?"

 

“And when we didn’t succeed?” Gladio threw a questioning glance at the shooter. “Then, maybe we go to sleep?”

  
“We have the money left just for the caravan…”

 

* * *

 

"He took the hunt..." Prompto mumbled under his breath, rubbing his eyes. “Ignis, hunting, this is when all of us go together, not just me, because I have a gun, and still they are goblins, and while they run to you, you'll shoot them!”

 

"But we saved the money for breakfast." Ignis calmly sipped his coffee and put it back on the gearbox.

 

 “I saved up money...”

 

"Calm down, Prompto," the advisor continued. “Marshal did not write anything else?”

 

"Nope, let's hope he's at the tombs,"  Noctis said.

 

"Let’s bet on dinner that he already left the tombs?"  Gladiolus suggested.

 

"Let’s better   bet on gasoline," Ignis said. ”Dinner, hmmm. We do not even have enough money to refuel.”

 

***

“It can’t be, "Gladiolus spread his hands skeptically, seeing the calm Cor at the entrance to the tomb.  " We caught the elusive Marshal?"

“As you can see,” Ignis shrugged his shoulders, hoping that Cor didn’t have a sharp hearing, and certainly didn’t hear Gladiolus's triumphant delight, tinted with sarcasm.

 

"Oh, Prince, did you deign to appear?"  Cor said. Noctis snorted offended, noticing Cor’s smile.

 

"If you didn’t change geolocation like a crazy MT, we would have found you faster," the prince shrugged.

 

"I don’t goof around, unlike you," Cor continued calmly. "Come, I have something to tell you, Your Highness."

 

The man waved his head toward the entrance to the tomb, as if to say to the prince: "only after you!."

 

"You know what it is, Prince Noctis?" Cor appeared in the doorway, following the monarch. Noctis looked around in surprise, shaking his head. “The tomb of one of the Old Kings.”

"You better tell me why you gave Insomnia up," Noctis quickly glanced at the Marshal.  He shrugged, as if expecting such a question, but with all his might wanted to avoid it. "Why dad did this?"

"He wanted to save you."

 

“And he sacrificed hundreds of lives to save his son?!”

 

Cor snorted discontentedly, but sighed with restraint, not allowing negative thoughts to break free and turn into unflattering words.

 

"Then he's not a king, he's a coward!" the prince didn’t stop, almost yelling.

 

“Did it ever occur to you, that you have a mission?” The man asked.”  If King didn’t do it, he would have left the kingdom without a monarch...”

“I'm a king, and a king of what?”  Noctis calmed down a little. “King of the ruins? Corpses? My bride is dead, her sister is dead. Dad is killed. What do you think I'm feeling right now?”

"If I tell you that Lady Stella was in Hammerhead two days ago, will you calm down and finally listen to me?" Cor looked at Noctis with a stern gaze. "And Lady Lunafreya was not sitting around, Your Highness. So, please, stop whining, and accept, like you should, your responsibility. Girls   have done more than you made in these two days! When I was getting Lady Stella out of Insomnia, she fought with every magitek, and didn’t cry that she doesn’t know what’s with her sister!”

 

Noctis fell silent. Usually the marshal didn’t allow himself such tone when talking to him, but now everything he said sobered him somehow.  And Stella and Luna are both alive? Or did he mishear?

 

" Stella was  in Hammerhead?" Noctis said finally. Cor nodded.

 

"She was seen with some man when she left the outpost," Cor continued thoughtfully, and noticing how the vein throbbed treacherously on the prince's forehead, he smiled that, finally, his royal highness was concentrating.

 

* * *

 

Sometime after talking with Cor and after Noctis took his ancestor’s weapon to himself, the boys went to the next tomb.

 

The prince was frowning.

 

 There was a nasty feeling inside and from the thought that Stella was traveling with some guy, Noctis wanted to break something.

 

“Hey, Noct, why are you so gloomy?” Prompto asked. “Lady Lunafreya and Lady Stella are alive, you should be happy.”

 

"He's been like that since Cor told him that Lady Stella is traveling with some guy," Gladiolus said, smiling broadly as he knew what was going on. Judging by the way the shooter's eyes flashed, and a copy of the Shield's smile appeared on his face, he also realized what was going on.

 

"You're jealous, Noct!"

 

"No, I’m not," the prince grumbled.

 

"You're totally jealous!"  The smile on Prompto’s face became wider.

 

“This is not true!”

 

Ignis sighed, listening as Shield and a shooter, teased the prince together about his jealousy, getting pleasure from it, while prince kept telling them he wasn’t jealous, although it was obvious that he was jealous.

 

Six, they are acting like children right now.

 

* * *

 

" Gods, it’s hot," Nyx folded  the map like a fan and fanned, sitting in a café of the next outpost. "I don’t even want to think how hot it is, in Lestallum!"

 

"Believe me, it's hot," Stella murmured, looking wearily at Chocobo that ran past the cafe. "I think you'll support my idea that we need money. Again…”

 

"Go hunting and meet your brother again with his friends? Go without me. I'd rather wash someone's car. By the way, where did you get the idea that the prince and his friends will go to Lestallum?”  Nyx put the map on the table, and Stella immediately took it, beginning to study the safe path to the city.

 

“Titan sleeps in Lestallum and Noctis will have to meet with him. Besides, you can replenish stocks there. And I heard Iris, Gladiolus’s sister stopped there.”

 

"Do you even know where she's staying and what does she look like?"

 

“Do you know about such thing as the Internet?”Stella immediately retorted.  “Though my operator doesn’t catch signal well very in these lands, but in times of good communication, I looked boys’ pages. So, I know how she looks. And where did she stop? We'll ask at the hotel first. If she will not be there, let's see who rents rooms and apartments. And we will find her. It's not Altissia with its huge squares.”

 

" You've got it all worked out," Nyx glanced at the inoperative air conditioner, which hadn’t planned to give the  coolness. “Just like your brother!”

 

"Six forbid," the princess sighed heavily.

 

Apparently the blonde wanted to say something else, but the familiar black dog that appeared outside the window, cut off all her thoughts.

 

“Umbra?” Stella said, quickly standing from her place.

 

“There are many dogs here, “Nyx continued tiredly, folding the map in the fan again. "Wait, where are you going?"

 

"I'll be right back!"

 

 

Stella quickly ran out into the street, but the dog didn’t move into the arms of his owner, and instead describing a couple of circles around her, he ran, somewhere behind the building. After catching up with Umbra, Stella met gazes with a dark-haired woman who was studying her closely, while Umbra sat submissively beside her and barked happily.

 

"Gentiana?"  Stella was surprised to see the messenger of the Gods. "Why are you here? Something happened with Luna?”

 

“Everything is alright with the Oracle, "the woman reassured the blond.  "I came to inform you that soon your path will cross with the True King."

 

Stella's attention was attracted by a car that had braked loudly in the parking lot; the second was enough for Gentiana to disappear from view. Turning around, she only saw the whimpering Umbra, who obediently bowed his head in front of her, waiting for his owner to take the notebook.

 

Stella carefully pulled out the red notebook and stood still for a couple of seconds in a stupor before writing something to her sister.

 

 

* * *

Luna beckoned her dog when Umbra appeared in the room, and quickly removed a red notebook from   the pocket of the bag tied to him. The messages in it were fresh, which meant that everything is alright with her sister. And Noctis... King Regis did everything he could to save him.

 

_Dear Luna. I managed to escape from Insomnia. During these two days, a lot of things had happened. First, I met Nyx..._

 

Luna almost dropped the notebook, and her heart began to beat wildly. He, is alive?

 

 … _then_ _we ran into Ravus. He was wounded, he didn’t have an arm. The sleeve was in the pocket. He tried to persuade me to return with him to Gralea, but I refused, and now, I travel together with Nyx and we search for Noctis and his friends. I hope we'll see each other soon._

_With love,_

_Stella._

 

Luna closed the notebook and smiled broadly. Nevertheless, this brave glaive survived. Strange, but there was such a strong desire to meet him again, personally to see what was written was true... Her heart filled with strange warmth, at the thought of how their eyes would meet again. How she wished  to be  in Stella's place now...

 

But she has a task – to awaken the Six.

 

And she must complete it.

 

Therefore, no matter how much she wanted to be in her sister's place, their meeting with Nyx would have to wait.

 

Luna opened the notebook again and began to write the answer.

 

* * *

 

 

"A little more and it will be ready,"  Nyx said, pointing the cracked Garula's crust of meat with a disposable fork. The rudder was slowly turning over the fire, not in a hurry to succumb to the zeal of the glaive and the plastic in his hands, but something inside him was saying that this piece of meat was finally roasting, and the stomach echoed joyfully at the thought that this wonderful moment, judging by smell should happen soon. The glaive was so  absorbed by the cooking process that he didn’t even notice that Stella  didn’t answer anything, but only nodded, embracing her knees, and thoughtfully putting her head on them. Thank the Six,  Nyx's fears didn’t come true, and they scored this poor Garula without meeting the MT, and Ravus, and besides money and an easy walk, their work were rewarded with such a hearty meal. Only it was needed to be cooked, but this is a trifle. They found the place to make camp, the animals, and the daemons will not attack at night, as they steered clear from the havens.

 

Despite   Nyx’s lamentations over the   Garula’s meat, Stella still managed to dive into her thoughts. It wasn’t difficult to do; today’s meeting with Gentiana gave her food for thought. For example, how did she even know about her feelings for Noctis? She didn’t even talk about it with her sister, especially with her brother, she didn’t keep diaries, and she didn’t bother the prince. Although, Gentiana is messenger of the gods, they are known to know everything, and even more, but somehow it was embarrassing, as soon as she thought that the gods are able to read thoughts.

 

"Are you all right, Stella?" Nyx's voice snapped out the second princess Tenebrae from her thoughts.

 

“Ah?” The blonde threw a glance at the glaive. “Yes, I'm all right, just thinking.”

 

"Doesn’t seem that way," Nyx said with the intonation of an experienced psychologist. "Since you returned after seeing something, you have become silent. Does something bother you?”

 

Stella bit her lower lip, deciding in her head, sharing her thoughts with him, or not. On the one hand, he didn’t look like a man who tells other people's secrets, and at least there is an opportunity to speak out, to make her burden of her feelings easier. That and the atmosphere were quite disposable.

 

“You promise that you will not tell anyone what I tell you now?”  Stella stared conspiratorially at the glaive.

 

"I promise I will not tell anyone," Nyx vowed.

 

"Nobody, especially Noctis and Luna."

 

"I promise I will not tell even them," Nyx was a little surprised. Why such secrecy?

 

"Good,"  the princess nodded, satisfied with his answer. Stella's next question surprised Nyx even more.

 

 

"Tell me, Nyx, have you ever been in love, knowing that your feelings are not mutual, and you'll never be together?"

 

 

“Yes,” for some reason the Oracle came to mind when he said it. "I think I fell in love with a girl, although we only talked once and spent only a few hours together."

 

 The memories of two magical days spent together with the Oracle flashed in his head. Although she was of royal blood, and certainly he is not equal, yet in her gaze, he caught not a contempt from the mismatch of their statuses, but something warm, bright. He even thought he fell in love. But even if so, what is the use of these feelings? She's a princess, she already has a prince, and he's just a glaive. Although he put his life on the line to save her, his status didn’t change from that.

 

“You mean Luna?”

 

Nyx blushed.

 

“Yes. How did you understand?”

 

 “I saw how you looked at each other, while talking near the aquarium. It was clear that you liked each other.”

 

"I understand that I don’t have the slightest chance, she is engaged to the prince, the royal herself, and I'm a simple glaive, but I still fell in love with her."

 

"I know how you feel," Stella looked again at the flame of the fire. "After all, I... love Noctis. But I understand that this is not to be, because he is my sister's fiancé and I don’t want to stand between them.”

 

"I understand," Nyx said.

 

So that's what the princess wanted to tell him, making him to promise that he would not tell anyone. She loved the prince, but she kept it a secret, not wanting to stand between the Oracle and the young king.

 

They were in a similar situation. Both loved people who were engaged to one another, knowing that their feelings would never be returned.

 

 _In the same boat, as people say._ Nyx thought.

 

There was a silence between them.  There was only sound of branches being devoured by flames, and sounds of daemons, animals and birds rustling outside their protective barrier.

 

The glaive rose to his feet.

 

"I'll go and check  our dinner."

 

Their dinner was ready. They ate it in silence. They didn’t want to talk. Not after such an exchange of secrets.

 

After the meal they went to bed. When Nyx was almost asleep, Stella called him.

 

“Hey, Nyx?”

 

 “Hm?”

 

"Thank you for listening to me."

 

The glaive smiled.

 

"You're welcome, Stella.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating so long. My co-author was busy and although the chapter was ready for some time I wasn't going to post it without her permission first and without her taking look at the part and adding her own changes. Hope you will like it.

"Stella, not so early,” Nyx yawned, throwing offended glances at the princess, who was already cheerfully packing her sleeping bag, not forgetting to periodically stretch his muscles.” What   hunt? When did you get to the outpost? Time... Six, half past five! I understand we have different time zones...” In the endless stream of information, coming from the glaive, there were many complaints about princess, who successfully ignored them, humming something to herself, and continuing the process of gathering their things.

 

“God forbid to go so early to the outpost,” the blonde rose to her feet, and went to the side where descent from the haven was, to carry things to their newly purchased bike.” And do you know about such a magical invention as a phone?”

 

“I once was told tales about it. They say that it overcomes the unthinkable distances, and speaks the voices of people from oversea countries...” the concentration of sarcasm in Nyx’s voice had already exceeded all permissible norms, but Stella was rummaging in the trunk of their bike, ignoring her companion once more.

 

 “Lucian folklore is rich!” the youngest Nox Fleuret inserted cheerfully,   hearing a brief pause between glaive’s speeches.” And there is a deity, called Internet.  Can answer any question!”

 

“I get it, get it,” echoed the princess’ words, sleepy and irritated voice.

 

Unexpectedly for himself, Nyx realized that not only Morpheus didn’t loosen his grip in an attempt to drag him back to his kingdom, but seemed to have thrown him halfway to the poppy field, so to speak, ‘ _since you couldn’t defend your right to sleep, now suffer a lack of sleep, the whole day_ ’, and according to Nyx, he also, added with a smirk: _’You call yourself a man!_ _Some_ _brat is ordering you around!’_

 

“Brat,” Nyx gritted through his teeth, looking through narrowed eyes at the ascending sun disc. “And by the way, how old are you?”  

 

 “Huh?”  Stella reappeared over Nyx, who was still in no hurry to leave his cozy sleeping bag.”And why it suddenly started to worry you?”

 

 “I’m thirty-two, and the elders need to be respected...”

 

“If you won’t listen to me, I’ll tell Luna that you were harassing me!”

 

The glaive sighed heavily and crawled wearily from a warm, cozy sleeping bag.  Why the hell he shared something with Stella yesterday? But then a plan of revenge appeared in his head, and the man, smiling sweetly, closed his eyes again, and settled himself more comfortably in his sleeping bag, turning over on his side.

 

“And I will tell Noctis that you harassed me!”

 

The deathly silence that had arisen was interrupted only by the cicadas.  Nyx even opened one eye in order to see what was happening with the princess, for such a spontaneous silence, as he realized in two days, wasn’t  not only her trait, but also a sign that she would lose patience.  

 

The glaive guessed right. The second princess  of Tenebrae, having forgotten about manners, raised her index finger in his direction, silently moving her lips, which were about to give out the best language, and her face was so red as if the body for the last time in its life generated acetylcholine and with its abnormal volumes decided to bring every face cell to allergic delight.

 

“Fear, denial, humility,” the man muttered to himself, watching as Stella was trying to overcome her inner demons and regain control of her emotions, without resorting to the murder of her companion. “And... speak!”

 

 “And why did I share my secret with you yesterday?!” Ignoring the last joke, Stella was finally able to utter at least something not offensive to him, although language in her head was colorful. After all, she grew up with Ravus, who until he didn’t get serious rank in imperial army and had been an errand boy, learned the most elegant turns of the national language.

 

 “I ask myself the same question, “Nyx smirked, satisfied, seeing as youngest Nox Fleuret began to wind up again.

 

“Just try to tell him something!”     

 

“Stella, have you heard, about such a magical invention, called phone?”

 

“Of course, I heard, I told you about it,”    the blonde sighed deeply. “Get ready, Garulas are popular as the easy target, and if you don’t have a local printing house ready to stamp the red books with them, pick up your heroic butt and go with me to the hunt.”

 

* * *

 

“No, Stella, I, of course, understand, Niffs, difficult political situation, but you are worse than Marshal!”

 

Stella just tiredly sagged her shoulders at Nyx’s nagging, continuing to watch imperial soldiers from their hiding place.   Goodbye Garulan steak for their dinner, because these guys also liked to eat it sometimes.

 

“Ah ... yeah, sure ... You're the sister of imperial High Commander ...

 

“Sorry for the bluntness, Nyx, but I think began to understand why Insomnia fell...”

 

 “And why?” the man snorted with displeasure.

 

“Because you’re a whiner!”

 

 The suddenly descended silence was diluted only by the chirping of grasshoppers.

 

“You know, you offended me, “Nyx spoke, his voice a mix of anger and annoyance. However, the blonde was in no hurry to share his grief, and her attention was already successfully intercepted by another person.

 

“And who is this? Hmmm...  Probably, it is a good idea to finally find another Garula... Oh... Look, like he is throwing magiteks around, he definitely wouldn’t whine like someone.”

 

Nyx reluctantly looked out of their hiding place, peering at the man, who had managed to arouse the interest of the princess.

 

“I know him, this is Libertus...”

  

“It turns out not all of you are whiners?”

 

“Oh, please shut up... Need help him...

 

“Look, he already started to kill the Garula... You can do that too?”

 

“Six ... why are you of royal blood and some strange feeling doesn’t allow me to kick you in the... Libertus!”

 

 At first, Libertus didn’t understand where the voice came from and from whom. At first, he could swear that a stone spoke to him. Then, next to the stone, he saw the interested eyes of young woman, watching his actions. But the voice what called him was not female. After a couple of seconds, the ex-glaive distinguished a tired male silhouette, which appeared on the opposite side of the stone from young woman. He squinted his eyes and they reluctantly focused themselves, making it clear who was in front of him...

 

“Nyx! I see you survived, hero,” happily smiling, the man went to meet Nyx, and firmly hugged him, so that Nyx was ready to swear, that just a moment, and his bones would sadly inform about their break.

 

“I'm tenacious,” Nyx smiled, hugging his childhood friend in response.

 

“Yeah. By the way, what are you doing here?”

 

I’m looking for a prince and his retinue.”

 

 “What for? And what is she doing here?” Finally, Libertus recognized unfamiliar young woman as the youngest Nox Fleuret. Stella frowned, feeling discontent in Libertus’ tone.

 

“Hello, Sir Libertus. Glad you're alive,” still, she greeted him politely, coming up to them, from the hiding place, realizing that the danger wouldn’t come to them from the man. He ignored her, focusing on Nyx.

 

“I’m looking for a prince, because it is my duty. And the princess travels with me because the king asked me to protect her.”

 

“What duty, Nyx? Kingslave is gone, the king is gone. You have no duty. And you want to die like Crowe, protecting her?”   Libertus asked angrily, pointing at Stella.

 

“Crowe was killed by Luche, not by Nox Fleurets. And King Regis  _asked_ , not _ordered_ to protect her,”    Nyx said, stressing with voice ‘asked’ and ‘ordered’,  annoyed by the childhood friend’s stubbornness. How he doesn’t understand?

 

“Still, if Drautos had not sent her to Tenebrae, she would have been alive!”

 

“I apologize for interrupting your interesting conversation, “the princess interrupted the argument and the men looked at her.”Sir Libertus,” she turned to Libertus, who looked at her with displeasure.” I did not ask Nyx to travel with me, he followed me himself. Therefore, if you don’t like him in my company, you can take him with you. I do not mind. I can protect myself and travel alone.”

 

And with these words, she left the two men to continue the interrupted hunt.

 

For a couple of minutes, Nyx watched her go, being in a stupor, and then it wore off,   and he ran to catch up with   her.

 

“Hey, princess, wait!”

 

* * *

 

“Is it titan?!” Prompto looked in fear at daemons from his hiding place.”And who are these?”

 

“Goblins ...”Ignis answered quietly. “The titan will not run after us, but they can...”

 

“Then maybe I’ll distract the goblins?”Noctis glanced at Ignis, expecting him to say something about an idea. The latter nodded approvingly, materializing his weapon.

 

“And we deal with titan. Can you handle them?”

 

“They are low-leveled, although there are a lot of them, but I will manage.”

 

“If anything, scream!” Gladio patted Noctis on the shoulder and rushed into battle. “Your turn, Noct!”

 

Getting out of the hiding place and throwing a pair of daggers in the direction of a shrewd, insidious enemy, Noctis made sure that their whole gang focused its attention on him, and rushed after him with wild enthusiasm. Following the plan, in the near coppice, Noctis could have finished them easily, just to avoid the intervention of the titan. But something went wrong. One of the goblins somehow ended at his legs, and the prince, having lost a balance, flew down the slope, that wasn’t there before, and formed magically in front of him, and already flying up to its very base, he knocked down someone very big.

 

Opening his eyes, he prayed that it was not some necromancer, but his hopes melted as soon as he felt cold piercing metal on his neck.

 

“These stupid goblins!”   Noctis heard a completely human, but extremely displeased male voice next to him.

 

“The cryogranate probably blinded me, but this is defective goblin. Don’t you think?”   After the previous voice, he heard a female and extremely familiar one. Noctis opened his eyes and saw blonde woman in front of him, holding a rapier at his neck.” Did he die or what?”

 

The glaive, lying with his back to the prince, and patiently rubbing the bruised place, turned to look at the ‘goblin’ and  his eyes widened, staring at the prince, who was also in shock because of  this sudden meeting.

 

“Your majesty?” Nyx said.

 

“Noctis?”  Stella still did not take the rapier away from the prince's neck, looking at him mistrustfully, like she couldn’t believe it was him.

 

“Stella?” Noctis at least was able to say something. 

 


End file.
